Authorities on Friday accused a Blue Springs motel resident of killing another resident in a nearby room in April.

Delana Mckissic, 47, is charged with second-degree murder, armed criminal action and evidence tampering in the death of Lisa Ruttenberg at the Nights Inn & Suites, 3400 N.W. Jefferson St.

On April 4, police investigating Ruttenberg’s body in Room 133 reviewed surveillance video. The motel video camera had been covered with an unknown substance about 8 p.m. but was cleaned by motel employees about 10:30 p.m.

According to court records, video showed a person entering Room 133 several times between 10:30 p.m. April 3 and 12:41 a.m. April 4. Hotel staff members identified the person as Mckissic, a resident of Room 149.

A search of the container revealed personal items that had belonged to the victim, as well as a wooden board wrapped in tape on one end and covered with what appeared to be blood.

A guest in a nearby room told investigators that he knocked on the victim’s door April 3 and saw Mckissic looking out the victim’s window. She didn’t answer the door, the guest said.

Medical examiners said Ruttenberg, 44, died after being beaten with a blunt object.

Kansas City police crime lab personnel conducted a test that revealed a blood trail between Rooms 133 and 149. A search warrant obtained for Room 149 revealed more blood evidence.

Witnesses told investigators that they had seen Mckissic with a wooden board wrapped in tape, similar to the board recovered from the trash container.

About two weeks later, Blue Springs detectives transporting Mckissic to a court appearance gave her a Miranda waiver to sign after she volunteered that she wanted to speak to them regarding the investigation. After signing the waiver, Mckissic said she had been in and out of the victim’s room on April 3 and had thrown away items from the victim’s room while wearing gloves.

However, she denied killing Ruttenberg.

Earlier this month, a Kansas City police crime lab report indicated that Ruttenberg’s DNA had been found on the interior and exterior of shoes and gloves collected from Mckissic’s room.